


See Your True Colors

by Anonymous



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Disturbing Themes, Drama & Romance, Emotional Manipulation, Mech Preg, Miscarriage, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 05:02:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18439580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Between Starscream’s relationship with Thundercracker and the happiness over the upcoming birth of their sparkling, Megatron’s second-in-command is getting too distracted and compassionate for his tastes. It's time to fix him.





	See Your True Colors

For all of his treachery and bedevilment, paltry schemes and failed power grabs, Starscream was still an extraordinary work of art, forged in the fires of violence and mayhem on Cybertron. Decepticons and Autobots alike often viewed him as an erratic, foolish Seeker who Megatron only kept around as a punching bag. A nuisance to be beaten down, a scraplet to trample under pede. But, they were wrong. All of them.

 Megatron saw so much more within his second-in-command (a position he hadn’t granted to Starscream lightly). He was more than they could ever know. Ruthless, fiercely intelligent, talented, committed, and one of the only bots alive who could outwit Megatron, forcing him to stay sharp and watchful at all times. Challenging him. Making him _better._

Sometimes, Megatron watched in awe as Starscream lead his trine into battle, effortlessly twirling through the air and raining death upon their enemies. Or when Starscream returned to base after a mission, his optics gleaming with ferocity, lip plates curved into a satisfied smirk from the sated energonlust. Megatron couldn’t stop the heat from radiating through his frame.

 Yes, Starscream was a gift from Primus. A gift that Megatron vowed to never lose. He would remind Starscream at every opportunity the value of anger, hatred, and pain, regularly beating it into him and savoring his audial-shattering screams of torment. It gave him pleasure to make the insolent Seeker hurt. Watch him _writhe_ on the ground as he dished out whatever brutality struck his fancy, be it an electric whip or his enormous fists.

 It was all worth it. As long as he stoked the flames of hatred in Starscream’s spark, his second always kept him on edge, always planned to usurp him whenever he could. Megatron loved it, the back-and-forth between them, the thrill of danger. It was intoxicating.

 And then Thundercracker shattered the perfect system he had so meticulously cultivated over the years.

 It began innocent enough. Megatron knew Starscream was close to his trine mates, especially the blue Seeker, but he never thought much of it. They were simply brothers-in-arms who spent nearly all of their waking joors together. The fierce jets were the pride and joy of the entire Decepticon military, winning them victory after victory.

 But, Starscream’s relationship with Thundercracker turned into much more. They tried to keep things professional around Megatron and Soundwave, but he didn’t miss the little slip-ups here and there, the way Starscream would gently brush Thundercracker’s cheek. The way they held eachothers servos on the way to their shared quarters at night. The way they’d gaze at eachother with softness and affection, two things that had no place in his ranks.

 The display of weakness angered Megatron, but he held his glossa for now. Starscream and his Seekers were still performing satisfactory enough.

 The problem soon caught up to Starscream, as Megatron knew it would. The Air Commander grew more and more distracted and fickle, once botching an entire air raid because Thundercracker came under fire and Starscream broke formation just to bail him out. Or when Thundercracker was off on a separate mission and Starscream was back at base in a meeting with Megatron, his processor clearly elsewhere, no doubt spinning with worry.

 Even worse was the subtle shift in personality. Starscream was more upbeat. He’d joke around and laugh with his trine mates in the recreational quarters and even mingle with grounders, something that he always considered beneath himself. He’d sit at a table with a servo around Thundercracker and a cube of energon in the other, talking excitedly about their exploits during the day. He’d even _smile_ pleasantly at Megatron and make small talk, which made Megatron want to punch a wall. The scariest part? Starscream wasn’t putting on a show to suck up to anybot. It was genuine.

 Megatron wouldn’t stand for it. He resorted to punishing Starscream even harsher than usual, but it didn’t work. One cycle, he left the Seeker in such bad shape that he had to be transported to the medical ward. When he went to check on him later, the energon boiled in his fuel lines when he saw Thundercracker sitting by Starscream’s berth, the Seeker’s optics full of worry as he gently stroked his trine mate’s helm and whispered soothing words to him.

 “OUT!” Megatron had roared, causing the blue jet to jump to his pedes and dash out of the room.

 The drama went on and on.

 And then the illness came.

 Starscream would purge his tanks nearly every morning for cycles, too weak and nauseated to fly and so tired he could barely keep his optics open for simple tasks back on the base.

 Megatron should’ve known better, but he initially dismissed Starscream’s condition, attributing it to other things: too much high grade energon, too much stress over Thundercracker (especially after Megatron kept purposefully sending Thundercracker on high-risk missions nearly every day and making Starscream stay behind), some sort of cybervirus, etc.

 Whatever it was, Starscream got over it and returned to his duties, working overtime to perform at the highest level possible. Truth be told, his sudden commitment to regaining Megatron’s favor after so many cycles of shoddy work made Megatron suspicious, but he eased off on the Seeker a little bit and let him carry out his duties.

 And then the rumors came.

 Whispered words amongst Autobots that soon reached the audial receptors of the Decepticons, who then reported it directly to Megatron.

 Starscream had apparently spared Windblade’s life once, they said. Even offered a brief _truce_ between the opposing aerial forces so they could regroup and take care of their wounded.

As if Megatron wasn’t already running low on patience, Starscream fell ill again, this time with nondescript “abdominal pain.” At that moment, Megatron was burning up with a rage that threatened to consume everyone around him. He’d finally had enough.

 He uncovered Starscream’s secret, leaving a trail of pain in his wake as he interrogated his Decepticons. The head medic, who was fond of Starscream for some reason, had known all along, withholding information from Megatron. Information that was rightfully his! The medic had begged for forgiveness, begged him not to hurt Starscream or Thundercracker, but mercy was for the weak. Megatron crushed his helm in one servo and left his lifeless chassis on the ground as the medical assistants looked on in horror.

 ***

 So, Starscream was carrying Thundercracker’s sparkling.

 It all made sense now, what with the Seeker’s bouts of sickness, strange mood, and obsequious eagerness to please Megatron and avoid beatings. Even so, Megatron never expected such things from his second. Starscream was certainly a conniving fragger and a constant pain in his backplate, but a common whore who interfaced with his own trinemates? That was unexpected.

 Megatron’s first instinct was to call Starscream into his work quarters and pulverize him so severely that there was no chance the wretched sparkling would survive. But, that was too easy. Too _boring._ He wanted to make Starscream truly pay for his transgression. To suffer beyond belief.

 ***

 “Lord Megatron?”

 Megatron tore his optics away from the glowing battle maps as Starscream’s grating voice interrupted his work. He sighed, readying himself for the first phase in his plan, before turning to the Seeker who was hovering in the doorway.

 “Join me, Starscream,” Megatron said pleasantly.

 Starscream shuffled into the room and stood in front of Megatron. His expression was smooth and calm, betraying no emotion, but his wings trembled slightly.

 “You called for me, My Lord?”

 “I hear you and Thundercracker have a big secret you’ve been keeping from me.”

 Now, Starscream’s optics widened in shock. He stepped back, looking more terrified than Megatron had ever seen him in his pitiful life. “My Lord, please…forgive me! I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how you’d react. I’m sorry!” He fell to his knees and wrapped his arms protectively around his abdominal plate, his voice getting higher and higher. “Please, don’t hurt me. I’ll do anything. Please…”

 Megatron had to restrain himself from kicking him. The tank-turning display of weakness was unbelievably infuriating, even for Starscream. He’d hit a new low.

 But, Megatron swiftly composed himself. “Get up, Starscream,” he said gently.

 The Seeker slowly got to his pedes, shaking uncontrollably as Megatron stepped closer.

 “You know how much I hate my Decepticons keeping things from me,” he said. “I’m very disappointed in you. But, the sparkling? That I don’t mind.”

 Starscream looked up at him in disbelief. “M-my Lord?”

 “You are the finest warrior in my ranks, despite your never-ending disloyalty. Your sparkling will be raised in the cause, valued and feared. It will grow into a fine Seeker like its carrier.”

 Something shifted in Starscream’s optics. There was a stretch of deafening silence as he pondered Megatron’s words. “Lord Megatron,” he began slowly, cautiously. “I will always be a Decepticon at spark, but for the safety of the sparkling, Thundercracker and I were considering the possibility of a…hiatus.”

 Megatron raised his optical ridges. “Explain.”

 Starscream let out a nervous intake. “With your permission, we would like to depart for one of the war free zones or a colony planet, and raise our sparkling away from the violence, perhaps for a deca-cycle. She’ll need bonding time.”

 Megatron couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Had he knocked the Seeker upside the helm one too many times? Was his processor glitching out? Starscream, fearsome second-in-command of the Decepticons, wanted to _settle down_ with Thundercracker and take care of a sparkling? Take a hiatus from the WAR? He nearly laughed out loud at how utterly sad and ridiculous that sounded. Furthermore, if Megatron hadn’t found out, what were Starscream and his partner planning to do? Desert? The cowards deserved to die for that level of treason.

 But, he restrained himself. He needed to play with Starscream, twist his way into his wires. The whole situation was just too good to resist.

 “I will grant your request, but I need you in the fight for just a little bit longer. Ten cycles at the most.”

 Starscream looked like he was about to cry from happiness and relief. “Lord Megatron, I don’t know how to repay such graciousness.”

 “You will do everything I say, or your sabbatical will be revoked. Do you understand?”

 Starscream nodded enthusiastically.

 Megatron laid a servo on Starscream’s shoulder plate, forcing himself to use the most soft-spoken, approachable tone he could muster. “Starscream, you have exhibited your strengths, proving yourself a strong commander and a worthy adversary. Your ambition makes me greater…and for that, I thank you. Know that I push you to be your best self. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

 Starscream blinked, clearly stunned to hear Megatron speak kindly to him. It took a klik for him to gather his thoughts. “Lord Megatron, I don’t want to be your adversary any longer,” he said. “Things have changed for me…I can’t believe I’m saying this, but nothing would make me happier than being your faithful Air Commander. Leading the Decepticons isn’t something I’m interested in anymore.”

 Megatron’s spark pulsed faster, a new wave of fury flowing through him. How long until Starscream’s ‘change’ forced him to leave the cause entirely? At this point, he wouldn’t be surprised to see him run to the cursed Autobots.

 All the same, he gave Starscream a small smile.

 ***

 Megatron got a rush of satisfaction and glee when he implemented his plot. Oh, the Seeker was going to pay in the most painful, grueling way imaginable and it was all too glorious. There was so much to do in ten cycles, so many tasks to wear Starscream down.

 Megatron had Starscream take his trine into the most deadly warzones, even sending them on a scouting mission into the heart of Autobot territory where they were ambushed once.

 If he ran out of fights for the Seeker, he ordered him to participate in heavy labor around the Decepticon outposts, repairing their bombed out structures. Once, he’d overseen the work on a large structure in Kaon, inwardly laughing as the sturdily built bots forged for construction and mining looked at the small jet in bewilderment as he struggled to assist them. One cycle, Starscream was so weak, he nearly collapsed.

 Megatron made sure to call him into meetings as soon as he returned from a difficult task. There was no time for recharging or patching up wounds. In fact, he made sure Starscream worked day and night, rarely receiving more than a joor’s recharge.

 The punishments went on and on. Megatron hadn’t had this much fun in quite a long time.

 ***

 “Lord Megatron, please…I don’t feel well,” Starscream said on cycle eight. He’d been purging his tanks regularly from the constant dizziness he felt. Now, he gazed at Megatron with unfocused optics, leaning on the wall for support.

 “I need you to accompany Slipstream and the others to Iacon, then you can come back and rest. We need all of the air support we can get.”

 Suddenly, Starscream cried out in agony, grabbing onto his abdomen and wincing. Megatron looked on, impassive, as energon dripped around the seams of Starscream’s interface panel, trickling down his thighs.

 “My Lord, please…I need help….need to get to the medical bay!” Starscream gasped, his optics welling with washer fluid, his face twisted in pain.

 His panel fell open and Starscream helplessly slid to the floor as energon and the undeveloped remains of his sparkling dripped out of his valve. He buried his faceplate in his servos, choking on sobs before letting out chilling screams. High-pitched and mournful, they reverberated through the hallways while Megatron stayed in place, his optics never leaving Starscream, a smile of triumph gracing his lip plates.

 ***

 “I want his gestation tank and all of the other plumbing removed,” Megatron ordered the team of frightened medics as they crowded around Starscream’s unconscious frame, preparing for emergency surgery. “Ensure that this never happens again.”

 With that, he marched out of the medical quarters and found Thundercracker and Skywarp standing in the hallway. Washer fluid poured down Thundercracker’s cheeks as Skywarp attempted to console him.

 “Will he be alright?” Thundercracker asked between heaving sobs.

 “He’ll live. But, _you_ won’t if you continue your relationship with him,” Megatron said casually.

 “W-what?”

 Megatron raised his fusion canon at Thundercracker, charging it. “Your pathetic ties to Starscream end now. He’s your commander, you’re his underling. That’s it. If I catch you together, I won’t hesitate for a _klik_ to offline you.” He turned his weapon on Skywarp while keeping his optics fixed on Thundercracker’s fearful faceplate. “Or him. There’s no place for sentiment in times like these.”

 ***

 Megatron visited Starscream the next cycle. He lowered himself into a chair next to the medical berth, nearly crushing it under his weight.

 The Seeker was eerily silent, staring at the wall with vacant, unseeing optics.

 “We need more forces to protect the energon mines near the mountains. We can’t let our resources get low.”

 “I didn’t even get to hold her,” Starscream said softly. “My little sparkling. She’s gone forever and you only care about battle plans.”

 “That’s all that matters,” Megatron said. “We’re at war, you useless pile of scrap.”

 When Starscream turned to him, Megatron’s intake caught in his chest because of the intensity in Starscream’s fiery crimson optics. The pure, seething _hatred._ The pain.

 “That we are, Megatron.”

 Megatron basked in his sweet, sweet victory. Everything was well again.


End file.
